Jan W. Simek

Jan William Simek was born to humble coal-mining parents who taught him to appreciate the importance of carbon at a very early age. At age 14, he was inspired to pursue a career teaching chemistry by his high school chemistry teacher, Joe Plaskas. Under the guidance of Professor Kurt Kaufman at Kalamazoo College, Dr. Simek began lab work in synthesis of natural products that turned into research in hop extracts for the Kalamazoo Spice Extraction Company. After receiving a master's degree from Stanford University, Dr. Simek worked in the pharmaceutical industry, synthesizing compounds designed to control diabetes and atherosclerosis, and assisted in the isolation of anti-cancer antibiotics from natural sources. Returning to Stanford University, Dr. Simek completed his Ph.D. with the legendary Professor Carl Djerassi, who developed the first synthesis of steroidal oral contraceptives. Dr. Simek’s 35-year teaching career was spent primarily at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he received the university’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Other teaching experiences include Albion College, the University of Colorado at Boulder, Kalamazoo College, and the University of California at Berkeley. In addition to his pharmaceutical research, he has industrial experience investigating dyes, surfactants, and liquid crystals, and he continues to consult for the biotechnology industry. Although his outside interests include free climbing in Yosemite, performing in a reggae band, and parasailing over the Pacific, as close as he gets to any of those is tending his backyard garden with his wife Judy.